As we waited, pre-op, for what we hope to be the final step in Savanna’s recovery, we had tears of laughter from the story of Savanna’s recent tumble down the stairs.  She and her brother were racing down the stairs to see who could get to the bathroom first, and she ended up on both knees sliding down the last 8 stairs. She lost.  

Yesterday was EXACTLY one year from the discovery and diagnosis of Savanna’s leukemia.  In one year, to the day, she’d been treated for cancer with chemotherapy, study drugs, radiation, and finally a stem cell transplant to eradicate it.   

The catheter she’s had as part of her body for the past 10 months was finally removed.  She will once again be able to enjoy swimming, showering, and bathing without the fear of infection.    

It’s been quite some time since the last update.  We celebrated Savanna on November 9th with a benefit in thanks and honor of everyone that has and continues to support her. It was a wonderful celebration, and Savanna was thankfully able to witness the love and support from so many who came out that night.

The weeks and months since have been pretty uneventful.  Routine weekly clinic visits, therapies, homeschooling, and simply trying to keep from being bored.  

A 6 month post-transplant biopsy was performed last Monday, once again resulting in negative cancer cells.  What is miraculous to me is that had Savanna’s cells NOT been mutated, and the standard 2 ½ year plan of chemotherapy for Acute Lymphoblasitc Leukemia patients had been her treatment plan, she would be less than halfway through her treatments.  This was a blessing in disguise, and I’m beyond grateful for the entire medical world, and the men and women that make it their lives to research new drugs and techniques, and treat these children with life-saving results.  

After yesterday’s procedure, we journeyed to Savanna’s school to get her ID and have a walk-through of her classes so that she’d be familiar when she returned today.  

The last few weeks I’ve seen her disposition change to a positive direction.  With months of seclusion and being removed from what she knew as life as a child, I’ll never know the mental angst this had on her.  I can understand how her spirits have been lifted, knowing she’s going to once again have purpose and meaning and inclusion with friends at school, and not just feel like the girl with cancer that can’t have a life in fear of illness.  

As I anticipated being able to send all three of my children off to school once again, I thought I may be emotional and fearful for her return.  It was as if we never skipped a beat. She and her brother got on the bus together, just as they always had before a year ago, and didn’t look back.  

Literally, they wouldn’t look back because of the embarrassment of me taking pictures.   

Clinic visits will continue every other week, or as needed, until Savanna is completely removed from the medications she still takes.  She has blood pressure meds, insulin, several immunosuppressants, steroids, and too many others that she could name verbatim. To our knowledge, she will not need to continue with any other medications once these are done, which should be within 6 months.  No follow up chemo, no pills, nothing.

She is cancer free, and will prayerfully remain so and live life to the fullest, having gained wisdom, courage, and strength along the way.